Leading Labor Relations Experts

Sarah Federman's career has never followed a straight line, which makes her useful to reporters looking for a different kind of expert. She spent her thirties as an international advertising executive working across more than ten countries with brands like Google, Bloomberg, Discovery, and the NFL. Then she saw her name on a Holocaust memorial wall and started asking questions the industry couldn't answer: What happens when companies cause serious harm? How can they address and prevent complicity in genocide, slavery, ecocide and other mass atrocity? How do they reckon with that? What does accountability even look like generations later? Those questions took her back to school and to a career as one of the most distinctive voices in the U.S. on corporate accountability and historical justice. Today she is an Associate Professor at the University of San Diego's Kroc School of Peace Studies, where she studies how corporations become complicit in large-scale human rights violations and how they can atone. She is the author of three books, two award-winning. Corporate Reckoning: How Companies Can Atone for Historical Transgressions (MIT Press, 2026) offers a framework for what genuine accountability looks like for institutions that have caused deep historical harm. Last Train to Auschwitz traces the decades-long effort to hold the French national railway responsible for transporting Jewish deportees to Nazi death camps. Transformative Negotiation, written with her Baltimore students, reframes negotiation as a vehicle for equity and structural change. Federman has testified twice before Congress on whether American banks bear responsibility for their historical ties to slavery, engaging both the scholarly and policy dimensions of reparations. She writes for the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and the BBC, and is a TEDx speaker, whose talk was selected by TED main stage for global distribution. She is available to comment on corporate accountability, reparations, Holocaust memory, transitional justice, negotiation, business ethics, ESG, and environmental justice in the Tijuana River watershed.

Through litigating thousands of cases and obtaining hundreds of millions of dollars in results for clients, Miles Feldman has established himself as the leading authority in leveraging conflict for good. Feldman is a founding partner of Raines Feldman Littrell LLP and helped build the firm from a 6 person local boutique firm into a nationally known legal force with over 130 lawyers and offices in Los Angeles, New York, Newport Beach, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Delaware, and Boca Raton. A seasoned and dedicated practicing business trial lawyer, Miles has three decades of experience handling hard-fought and often high-profile cases through trial and appeal. Feldman is listed as one of the Best Lawyers in America by U.S. News and World Report. The Los Angeles Business Journal has repeatedly named him as one of the top 100 lawyers (and top 50 litigators) in Los Angeles and recognized him as a Leader of Influence in California. In 2024, The Los Angeles Times named Feldman a “Business Visionary” in entertainment for his innovative approach to legal issues. From 2008 to the present, he has been consistently deemed a “Super Lawyer” by Los Angeles Magazine / Law + Politics. Martindale-Hubbell rates Feldman as “AV Preeminent,” its highest ranking for professionalism and ethics. Feldman was selected to be a Fellow in the Trial Lawyer Honorary Society of the Litigation Counsel of America. Feldman is known for his ability to find successful solutions in difficult legal and business crises. Though he is often behind the scenes, prominent companies, creators, politicians and business leaders call on him to manage and broker solutions to the most complicated, sensitive problems. He enhances his legal practice with his decades-long study and teaching of mindfulness and meditation, as well as the integration of behavioral psychology and innovative conflict resolution methods.

Tony Olson is a veteran advocate for the injured. As a leading attorney at Rush & Nicholson, P.L.C. in Cedar Rapids, Tony has built a reputation for success in high-stakes personal injury and workers’ compensation cases across Iowa. From seven-figure settlements to complex motorcycle and workplace injury claims, his results speak volumes. Recognized as AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, as a Super Lawyers Rising Star and a Top 40 Under 40 Civil Plaintiff Attorney by The National Trial Lawyers, Tony combines sharp legal strategy with genuine care for his clients. Whether it’s a crash, fall, or catastrophic injury, Tony brings precision, grit, and experience to each case. He is a former president of the Linn County Bar Association, serves on the Board of Governors for the Iowa Association for Justice, and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

Experienced Senior Human Resources Business Partner with a demonstrated history of working in the medical device manufacturing and management consulting industry. Skilled in Operations Management, Interviewing, Critical Thinking, Human Resources: Coaching, Performance Management, Leadership, Employee Relations, Talent Acquisition, and Benefits with a PHR. Strong human resources professional with a Strategic Human Resources Leadership Certificate focused in Human Resources Development from Cornell University.

Meet Dhriti Mukherjee Pipil – Trade Economist, Consultant, Speaker & Educator Dhriti Mukherjee Pipil is a Delhi NCR–based international trade economist, consultant, researcher, and speaker, specialising in trade finance, foreign trade policy, and agricultural trade. She is the Founder of Global Trade Institute (GTI), an institution focused on building export-ready professionals and businesses through practical trade education. She currently serves as a Senior Research Fellow at Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), where her work examines India’s agricultural trade policy, export restrictions, price volatility, and supply chain dynamics. She is also an empanelled faculty with Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), delivering specialised sessions on export finance and international payment systems. Dhriti is a Leadership Member at the Women in International Trade Business Council (WIITBC) under the International Trade Council (ITC), and serves on the Economic Advisory Board of the Economic Transformation Council, contributing to trade-led policy discourse. With over a decade of experience in banking and trade finance, her expertise spans export finance, cross-border payments, foreign exchange markets, trade risk management, WTO frameworks, and emerging digital trade finance systems. She holds professional certifications from the Indian Institute of Banking & Finance (IIBF) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). Her work bridges policy, practice, and pedagogy—offering consultancy in export strategy, trade finance structuring, compliance, and market entry. She actively mentors MSMEs and startups, enabling them to navigate global markets with operational clarity. Dhriti has authored peer-reviewed research in journals such as Economic & Political Weekly and The Indian Economic Journal, alongside policy contributions to The Hindu BusinessLine, Down To Earth, Policy Circle, AgroSpectrum, and global platforms including the World Trade Centre. She is a regular speaker at national and international forums, including the Economist Intelligence Unit (2025), International Trade Council (2025), WTO Chairs Programme, and Indian Economic Association. Through her work, she seeks to reduce information asymmetry in global trade and build a more inclusive, resilient, and knowledge-driven export ecosystem.

Dedicated Human Resources Professional bringing dependable expertise in employment law compliance, developing DEIB strategies, managing employee complaints, conducting internal investigations, corrective action, performance counseling, and reasonable accommodations. Works diligently to build, strengthen, and maintain employee and management relationships.

Dr. Greg Kovacs is a relational scientist and the founder of The Engine Room™, where he specializes in re-engineering domestic and emotional infrastructure for high-achievers. Through his proprietary Relational Audit, he helps executive-level couples identify "Leaking Pipes" in their partnership by mapping the cognitive load of invisible labor. Dr. Kovacs’ work focuses on transitioning couples from the "Manager/Contractor Trap" to sustainable Domain Ownership. He provides expert commentary on Systemic Household Engineering and the Manager/Contractor Trap to help couples achieve long-term equity. He is the author of the forthcoming book, The Engine Room: Mapping Emotional Labor, Reclaiming Intimacy, and Modeling Equity for the Next Generation.

I support employees to navigate HR processes in the workplace. This could be help to understand something like a disciplinary or performance management issue. I help to explain the legislation that underpins the process and try to unpick whether the employer is acting legally. I also help the employee to consider the best route through (even where the employer is acting within the legislation). I act as an advocate and support and debrief with the employee from the sidelines. Sometimes employees need help to work through an interpersonal problem e.g. with a manager or peer, or just need HR coaching and advice for generally getting through the current corporate landscape.

Ray Johnson is a retired FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge, attorney, and educator whose career spans the courtroom, the classroom, and the command post. Over nearly 30 years in state and federal law enforcement, he has led complex criminal investigations, commanded SWAT operations, overseen national shooting‑incident reviews, and managed critical incidents and mass‑casualty events across the United States. Johnson is a veteran member of the Southern Nevada law enforcement community, with deep senior‑level experience coordinating federal, state, and local responses to both crises and major planned events. He has delivered high‑impact training on active shooter behavior, ethics, and leadership to thousands of public‑safety leaders and is frequently called in after major incidents to help agencies navigate culture, accountability, and public trust. As Division Counsel in multiple FBI field offices, Johnson provided legal oversight on investigations, ethics, and compliance and helped shape the FBI’s Domestic Investigations and Operations Guide. Internationally, he has mediated between Ukrainian anti‑corruption agencies and advised on governance and rule‑of‑law issues during Operation Enduring Freedom, earning recognition from the U.S. Ambassador for advancing U.S. foreign policy objectives. Now an adjunct faculty member at UNLV’s Boyd School of Law, he focuses on how law, leadership, and policy perform under real‑world pressure. His research and writing center on use of force, investigative accountability, organizational ethics, and the intersection of policing, immigration, and civil rights. He regularly helps journalists and the public make sense of complex law‑enforcement issues. He is coauthoring two forthcoming Criminal Investigation and Criminology texts as well as a companion leadership playbook for front‑line leaders working in high‑pressure, high‑visibility environments. Johnson’s honors include multiple high‑level executive leadership awards from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, as well as recognition from U.S. diplomatic leadership for international anti‑corruption work. He continues to consult with courts, law‑enforcement agencies, and organizations on use of force, crisis leadership, and organizational culture under scrutiny.

I'm a Career Consultant who specializes in Negotiation and Pay Equity. I bring years of experience working for employers at a staff firm, applicant tracking company, and professional trade association to my work with candidates and employees. I spearheaded two pay equity laws; 1) salary history bans and inclusion of pay in job postings. Over the years I have contributed and been interviewed by NPR, BBC, CNN, Boston Globe, Yahoo Finance, Hollywood Reporter, and more. Additionally, my speaking engagements and workshops have included Harvard, UCLA, Virginia Tech, Women in Construction, Boston Consulting Group, Boston Chamber of Commerce, and more. I've earned an MBA from Bentley University and a BA in Economics from College of the Holy Cross.

Mike Podesto is a Career and Job Search Expert and the Founder & CEO of Find My Profession, a leading reverse recruiting firm that manages full job searches for professionals and executives. As a pioneer of reverse recruiting, Mike has helped thousands of candidates navigate competitive hiring markets by combining targeted job sourcing, direct outreach to decision-makers, and data-driven job search strategies. His team works across industries including technology, engineering, marketing, and executive leadership, supporting clients from mid-level professionals to C-suite executives. Mike’s expertise spans job search strategy, resume and LinkedIn optimization, networking, recruiting, and hiring trends. He is known for his practical, results-oriented approach to the job search process, with a focus on helping candidates stand out in crowded applicant pools and secure interviews faster. Under his leadership, Find My Profession has earned over 1,000 five-star reviews and has been recognized for its innovative approach to job search management. The company’s model is built on real-world recruiting experience and has helped place candidates in roles ranging from $100K to $1M+ compensation packages. Mike regularly advises on topics including job market trends, hiring practices, interview strategy, and how candidates can position themselves effectively in today’s evolving employment landscape. His insights are especially relevant for professionals navigating career transitions, layoffs, or competitive executive-level searches.

Human Resources professional with a strong emphasis in employee relations, learning development, corporate communication, and strategic development. Effective manager and project leader, skilled in developing collaborative working relationships with internal and external teams. Record of leadership in developing training and development department, recruiting top tier candidates, and implementing strategies to reduce turnover rates within departments. Ability to communicate effectively amongst all levels of management and employee population. Problem solver and adaptable team player. Eager for new challenges in a dynamic business environment. Specialties: Strategic Development, Employee Relations, Recruitment, Learning Development

Tracy Sanders Rucker, Esq., is a nationally recognized employment, education, and immigration law attorney, bestselling author, and continuing legal education (CLE) presenter. Founder of Natural Hair and the Law and the Attorney Tracy Sanders Foundation, she is a leading voice on hair texture discrimination, workplace culture, and post-DEI compliance in schools and businesses. Her work has been featured by ABC, MSNBC, TLC, Essence, Avvo, and the Los Angeles Sentinel, and she has spoken at Yale University, Arizona State University, Loyola Law School, Arizona State University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and other higher education institutions. She has authored bestsellers, including Natural Hair in the Workplace: What Are Your Rights?, The CROWN Act Handbook, and Wearing Our Crowns — each recognized in national media and ranked #1 in key legal categories on Amazon Kindle. Her advocacy has earned honors from U.S. Congress members, Netflix, eBay, Benedict College Women’s Business Center, and the Los Angeles Lakers Women’s Business Awards. She also hosts the Legal Talk With Tracy Sanders podcast and earned degrees from Syracuse University College of Law, the University of South Carolina, and Cornell University’s Women’s Entrepreneurship program. See: https://smb.americanpress.com/article/Attorney-Tracy-Sanders-Launches-Insightful-New-Book-on-Hair-Texture-Discrimination-in-Workplaces-and-Schools?storyId=683ff0e944ed71000866c89f http://int.cerifilegaledge.com/program_guide/search_results.jsf?courseTopicType=1&provider=32008108&requireCourseNumber=false&accredStatus=%5B%5D&format=On+Demand.Live.Live+Conference https://lexvid.com/cle-speakers/tracy-sanders-rucker https://www.lawline.com/lawyer/tracy-sanders-rucker

Stacey is the Founder & Managing Consultant for Expand HR Consulting. She received her bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University, and certification in Conflict Resolution and Mediation. Stacey holds her certification from Cornell University’s Leadership Program in Diversity and Inclusion for HR. She is a former Board member of JSSA and served on its Human Resources Committee. She got her start in human resources as a generalist with Internet Interstate (Verio, a global internet communications leader). From there, she joined Sodexo’s corporate headquarters, where she was responsible for the oversight of corporate recruiting and human resources. As a generalist, Stacey was responsible for employee relations and recruitment, policies and compliance, coaching, performance management and diversity outreach. In 2006, after independently consulting for nonprofits, Stacey launched EHR. Stacey oversees outsourcing and project-based engagements, leading a consulting team of 10. This may include executive and specialty search, comprehensive compensation and benefits analysis and planning, custom research, performance management-based initiatives and employee engagement surveys. EHR’s portfolio of work in DEI, includes custom surveys and related analysis, formal DEI related policy reviews, recruitment outreach to minority communities, improving systemic HR approaches, annual custom DEI training via our core library, affirmative action plans, workplace and sexual harassment investigations at the executive, management and staff levels. One of Stacey’s area of focus is partnering with nonprofit Boards on corporate governance and leadership initiatives. Notably, a Board’s Compensation or Executive Committee to help independently manage CEO/Executive Director annual compensation, benefits and performance, Board surveys and DEI initiatives, and transition and executive search.

Email me directly at: atarki@eca-partners.com  We are a world-class Executive Search firm. Our strength lies within our process driven and systematic approach. This enables us to connect star-candidates with opportunities that are right for them – faster! We also have a network of thousands of independent top-tier management consultants.A few of my pieces in HBR and Forbes are included here below. As always, I'd appreciate hearing any comments and feedback on these.

I serve as a leader at MetalRecruiters, a search firm focused exclusively on the metal and steel manufacturing industries. For more than three decades, our team has partnered with manufacturers, fabricators, recyclers, and industrial organizations to help them solve complex workforce challenges across operations, engineering, leadership, and skilled trades. My experience centers on the evolving talent dynamics within steel production, metal fabrication, alloy processing, recycling, and related industrial sectors. I work closely with plant leaders, executive teams, and ownership groups to address skilled labor shortages, succession planning, and leadership development in highly technical manufacturing environments. Over the years, I’ve supported searches for general managers, plant managers, engineering leaders, quality professionals, HR executives, and industrial trades specialists including CNC programmers, machinists, welders, and maintenance technicians. This work provides firsthand visibility into workforce trends, retention challenges, and the operational impact of talent gaps. I frequently speak on topics such as skilled labor shortages, manufacturing workforce strategy, executive hiring in industrial sectors, and the long-term implications of workforce planning in metal and steel operations. My focus is helping industrial companies build resilient teams that support operational excellence, safety, and sustainable growth.

Dr. Gearl Loden is a nationally recognized CEO/Superintendent, certified executive coach, speaker, former HR officer, and founder of Loden Leadership & Consulting Group LLC. With decades of executive leadership experience, he has led high-performing school districts and guided leaders across education, business, nonprofit, and healthcare through seasons of growth, change, and challenge. His focus is helping leaders, from aspiring superintendents to small business owners, find clarity, strengthen culture, and align their leadership with their deepest values. Known for blending warmth with strategic candor, Gearl equips leaders to navigate high-stakes decisions and build sustainable systems that protect both results and well-being. Through his coaching practice, he works one-on-one and in groups with a wide range of clients, including SaaS founders, HR officers, nonprofit directors, and education leaders preparing for their next level of responsibility. He also partners with entrepreneurs and founders looking to grow without losing their company's core identity. His coaching is anchored in the Loden Trust Framework™, his original model built on seven pillars of trust, paired with practical tools like the Trust Audit™ and the 72-Hour Repair Protocol™ that help leaders diagnose where trust is fracturing and act before it breaks. He blends these with established frameworks like the Platinum Rule and Eisenhower Matrix, tailored to each client. This work has strengthened leadership pipelines and helped leaders across industries lead with clarity, confidence, and resilience. As a writer and thought leader, Gearl contributes experience-rich insights on leadership development, organizational culture, and executive decision-making, grounded in the realities leaders face today, not just theory. A sought-after keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, Gearl brings the same field-tested perspective to the stage that he brings to coaching. Whether delivering a conference keynote or leading leadership team training, he meets audiences in the messy middle of leadership, where the stakes are high and solutions have to be both practical and human. Attendees leave with clarity they can act on, not just notes they'll forget. At his core, he believes leadership is service. When leaders are equipped, aligned, and energized, the organizations and communities they serve thrive.

I’m an attorney focused on federal sector employment law and military service employment protections. I represent federal employees and applicants in EEO matters (discrimination, retaliation, harassment), Rehabilitation Act reasonable accommodation, MSPB adverse action/performance appeals, OSC whistleblower cases, and USERRA (Guard/Reserve) rights. Reporters use me for clear, on-record explanations that turn dense rules into plain English, with practical examples and cites you can verify. I’m available for quick quotes, deeper background, or walking through timelines and decision trees. I also have 6+ years experience litigating employment defense on behalf of the U.S. Government through three presidential administrations. I also track government-wide workforce policy from OPM and OMB—telework/RTO directives, performance management (PIPs), suitability/fitness, locality pay/duty station questions, RIF/realignments, and hiring authorities—so I can connect individual cases to system level changes. On the aviation side, I help pilots and operators navigate FAA and NTSB issues, aircraft purchase/sale pitfalls, and certificate or enforcement matters. Selected story angles I can speak to: - Federal EEO 101 (and what most sources miss): counseling vs. complaint, acceptance/dismissal, investigations, and remedies—plus how deadlines quietly decide outcomes. - Reasonable accommodation in mission critical roles: light duty, telework, medical documentation, “undue hardship,” and how to avoid retaliatory optics. - MSPB after the backlog era: appeal rights, probationary myths, settlement dynamics, and fee-shifting realities. - Whistleblower cases & PPPs: what counts as protected disclosure, typical retaliation patterns, and OSC vs. agency IG pathways. - USERRA: reemployment after orders, seniority/benefits accrual, scheduling drill/AT, and common agency missteps. - Telework/RTO as a legal and policy question: duty station, locality pay, reasonable accommodation intersections, and how agencies document “business need.” - Managing out via PIPs: when a PIP is pretext, how performance elements are written, and the evidence agencies actually need. - Suitability/fitness and (separately) security clearance issues: the boundary with EEO rights and what employees should document from day one. - Remedies and real timelines: back pay, comp damages caps, attorney fees, and why “day in court” usually means ADR or settlement.